Misconceptions of popular safety apps

After the death of Mollie Tibbetts, there has been some talk on social media about what personal safety apps are the best to use.

Cell phones are a great tool to help keep you safe. These days, people are taking their usage a step further by downloading personal safety apps.

They may sound like a good idea but it’s important to understand their features.

Noonlight is the number 1 safety app in the App Store. You press and hold the button whenever you feel unsafe. It’s then suppose to pin your location and call 911.

A Lincoln mother’s daughter downloaded this app and wondered how reliable it actually is.

"Just go to your law enforcement and ask them, is this credible, does it work, what would they suggest doing in the event that your some where and you need help," said Fawn Rader.

We spoke with LPD who trialed 2 other apps called bSafe and LiveSafe.

They said each one has it’s pros and cons, and each would be better in different scenarios.

For example, bSafe sends alarm signals to the emergency contact you set up.

"I can see where they all have value in certain situations but again we want to caution people not to be distracted by the app, don’t use headphones on the trails, pay attention to your surroundings and always use the buddy system if possible," said Lincoln police officer, Angela Sands.

The misconception of all of these apps is that they do not immediately send police to your location or call 911 for you. You have to talk to another party or go through more steps in order to do so.

If you have any questions about other personal safety apps, you are encouraged to call LPD.